The invention relates to the rear of an automobile, preferably a passenger car, that has a body element which closes an opening in the car body.
In a known vehicle of the type in question, the body element is constituted by a hingedly articulated door that has no provision for the reception of objects.
It is also known (Car Styling, no. 21/1978, pp 81-87) that the rear of a passenger car can be provided with a loading surface. This loading surface extends over the area of the conventional rear seat, whereby passengers in the back in the passenger compartment have no room.
The invention thus has as an object to produce a vehicle, advantageously a passenger car, whose utility is increased by a cargo space in the rear, without any essential limitation of space in the passenger compartment.
This object is achieved according to a preferred embodiment of the invention, in that the body element presents a receptacle that is constituted by horizontal and upright walls of the body element. For this it is advantageous if the receptacle has the configuration of a trough. The walls at least in sections are connected to a frame that defines the opening. The frame is formed peripherally as a somewhat U-shaped profile. The receptacle is made as one piece with the body element. The receptacle at least in sections is formed by a separate part. Insofar as the opening, seen from the side, has a stepped outline, it is an advantage if the body element has a pane in the region of the upright section of the opening. The pane and the wall of the receptacle connected thereto have approximately the same length. Seen in the direction of travel, the pane has a greater angle of inclination than that of the wall to which it is joined. The horizontal wall of the receptacle that forms the floor presents supporting elements. These supports are constituted by ridges. There is also the possibility that the supporting elements may be made as wooden, plastic, etc. parts set in on the floor. In consideration of weight, the body element can be made of plastic. In addition, the body element can be exchanged for a trunk door, whereby on the body element there is provision of fittings corresponding to the door, e.g. hinges, latches or the like.
Principal advantages that are produced by the invention reside in that the body element that can be set in instead of a trunk door and has a receptacle which serves to hold equipment for sports, recreation or the like. The receptacle is constituted simply, by walls of the body element. With this arrangement of the frame as well as the association of the receptacle thereto, even relatively heavy objects can be well transported. The arrangement of the pane is such that essentially it cannot be damaged by objects. Moreover, there is the possibility that a trunk door can replace the body element, whereby with one single basic structure of a passenger car, it is possible to have two models of the vehicle.
These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, which show, for purposes of illustration only, plural embodiments in accordance with the present invention.